This is a great article, with some great tips. Shooting from the hips does seem to be the safer thing to do overall and I think location has to be taken into account. There are some places where people aren't phased by cameras at all or having their pictures taken, but then again, that's not exactly common.

@YinofYang Shooting from the Hip is precisely that, to avoid attracting attention to your camera and shooting intentions. In the most part, it was more fun to shoot and not know what you got until you previewed it later on the LCD. Shooting location wise, there will always be people who do not like their pictures taken even in Asia. In Chatuchak market in Bangkok, there are sections where animals are sold....they didn't allow photos. Shooting from the hip would be the best alternative.

@Benard That's definitely one of the neat things about shooting from the hip. I think in some ways, it's also a challenge to the photographer. Taking pictures without attracting attention, definitely gives you an unadulterated glimpse into the person you're taking pictures of. You have a lovely portfolio, by the way. It's nice to meet someone so experienced in the field of photography. :)